Collaborative work or augmented collaboration: what are the differences?

Definitions and objectives of collaborative work and augmented collaboration

Collaborative work and augmentative collaboration are two terms often used interchangeably, but wrongly so because they describe different concepts. Collaborative work refers to the use of methods and practices for organizations and employees to work together effectively. It includes aspects such as communication, conflict resolution and project management. The tools used in collaborative work are classically: instant messaging applications, video conferencing tools and document sharing tools (EDM). Collaborative work can be done face-to-face or remotely, but its main objective is to facilitate interactions between team members.

Augmented collaboration, on the other hand, focuses on the use of technology to enhance collaboration. This concept encompasses tools such as: augmented reality, virtual reality, digital assistants and data analysis tools to improve communication, decision making and team efficiency. Augmented collaboration aims to increase human capabilities tenfold for better collaboration between team members. This can help with understanding the vision, understanding the work environment, understanding the data, and helping with decision making.

Benefits and challenges of collaborative work and augmented collaboration

The benefits of collaborative work are numerous. It allows companies and employees to work together efficiently, share knowledge and skills, and make decisions faster and more effectively. This is all the more valid at a time when interactions between members of the same organization are multiplying and project mode is becoming the norm. It can also improve productivity, innovation and individual satisfaction and thus contribute to employee engagement. Organizations can use exchange tools to maintain open and honest communication with employees, and employees can use document sharing tools to work together on projects.

There are also challenges related to collaborative work. Cultural barriers, people conflicts, and skill gaps. Managers must be aware of these challenges and implement Adhoc strategies to overcome them. For example, training programs will help those who are having difficulty overcoming skill gaps, or the establishment of reporting mechanisms to manage conflict effectively.

Augmented collaboration also offers many benefits. Augmented reality and virtual reality tools can help all members of an organization understand data more intuitively, while digital assistants can help make decisions faster and more efficiently. Data analysis tools allow you to process large volumes of data to quickly identify trends and patterns that can feed or modify strategic decisions.

But this increased collaboration is not without its challenges, notably the costs of the different tools and solutions which can be high for the company, with the added cost of training all its members. Managers must be aware of these limits and obstacles to change and implement a real management of the digitalization of processes impacted by this increased collaboration. Regardless of the tool, you need an implementation program that takes into account the company’s culture and includes a training package that will satisfy both the most avid users and the most resistant.